I often get asked about how I got started. I get asked how someone can do what I do. People want to know how to chase their dreams. My answer is simple: Just do it!

What is stopping you? Is the grass greener by doing nothing about your passion? Are you making too much money? Are you enjoying your life too much? Over the last two years I’ve been studying people all around the world and I have found that the people who are happiest are the ones who are doing something about their passions. It doesn’t mean you have to quit your job and going out on your own. What it does mean is making your passion the focus of your life. It also doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your family, your friends or your stability. It’s simply acknowledging that you have a passion and then making a plan to make it a bigger part of your life. Simple as that.

But Richard, I have no idea where to start! I believe there are three simple steps you can take right now … today to start making it happen for you.

Find Your Passion

Before you can chase it, you have to find it. You have to know what it is. I started chasing mine back in mid-2007. I was 23. I was collecting a pay-check from a full-time job but I wanted more. I wanted to be using my skills, which also happened to be something I enjoyed. I am a speaker. I have been a good one since high school and my days as a candidate for mayor in Mason City, Iowa. Once I knew which passion I wanted to start doing something about, I began to make a plan for making it the focus of my life.

Determine What Your Passion Means

I’ll say it, my long-term goal is to be self-employed where I’m a speaker, author and coach. That’s it. That’s my passion and my dream. I’m going after all three right now, but at different speeds. I still have a full-time job, what I like to call my “day job.” I enjoy it. But it’s not my dream. This is. But for me, getting my complete dream requires a lot of work. Every day I come home and put in an additional two to five hours. But I’m passionate about it! I love it! I truly enjoy meeting new people, learning about how our human mind works and ultimately motivating people. You have to determine if your passion will require you to quit your job, move to a new city or just re-organize your priorities. I’ve sacrificed a lot to get my passion to this point and I’m excited about where it’s going.

Make it Happen

As much as I hate the phrase, ‘at the end of the day,’ it fits here. At the end of the day you just have to make it happen. Only you can be the one to go after your passions. Only you can live your dreams. It is said all the time but you only get one chance at this life. Why not go out and live it out loud? The world is a much better place when people are not only happy in life, but are full of passions. One of my passions is writing, so I’ve written a book. I didn’t just write it to check it off my list. I wrote Anything is Possible to change lives. That is my passion. You’re now a part of it.

Take the time, and soon, to review your life. Are you truly living the life you dreamed? I know things can get in the way (darn kids!) but that is no excuse for completely sitting on your hands. Passions feed the soul. Passions bring joy. Passions change lives. Get going and make it happen. The world will be a better place.